Hawthorne wants voters to decide mayor's term extension issue

Every two years, Hawthorne voters are asked to elect a new mayor but, in the Nov. 5 election, they will decide whether the office should instead carry a four-year term.

The City Council approved the ballot measure on a 3-1 vote at an unusual Thursday morning meeting.

The item will accompany the election of a mayor, two council members, a treasurer and clerk.

Though three council members supported the measure, the council majority could not agree on a companion item to institute term limits in the city, which currently allows unlimited public service.

Mayor Danny Juarez abstained from the vote because he currently holds the office.

Councilman Alex Vargas was the only opposition, arguing that he is concerned mayors will be able to amass too much campaign funding and political support in four years.

"If you have a four-year term and you choose the wrong person, that person's going to be leading you for the next four years and there's nothing you can do about it," Vargas said. "That's going to allow that person to solidly campaign for four years."

The mayor's position is the only elected office in the city that does not come with a four-year term.

In 1980, voters decided to have a directly elected mayor who would serve two years at a time so that a three-member council majority would be elected in each cycle, City Manager Mike Goodson said. Although council members have four-year terms, their election cycles are staggered so that two members are elected each two years.

Councilwoman Olivia Valentine said she believes two years is too short a term for public office.

"I think the two-year term gives the mayor too little time to govern and much too much time to have to campaign," Valentine said. "A four-year term would be fine, and I would not be interested in limiting the number of terms."

While Valentine said she did not support term limits, she would support a two-year hiatus for anyone who has served two consecutive terms in office.

Vargas and Councilman Nilo Michelin said they would like a 12-year cap on public service but differed on the specifics of such a change.

Michelin proposed an eight-year term limit for mayor and council members, with a 12-year cap on total service. But his motion died because no one agreed on details."The time for reform is now," Michelin said. "We need term limits. We have them for the president. We have them for the governor."

In May, the council considered putting a measure on the ballot that would eliminate the directly elected mayor's position, and replace it with the annual appointment of a different council member. However, that initiative failed when council members learned that voters in nearby cities have recently turned down similar measures.

"I think it was felt amongst everyone that this isn't something people want," Juarez said. "It's taking something away from the voters."